What is Polyester? An Introduction

Polyester is a fairly common material thesedeveloped. This was a further refinement as the
days.But we must remember that W.H. Carothersmaterial had very thin fibers and its use for
who was working with Du Pont can be creditedcasement curtains, small rugs, and also material
with this discovery (Polyester) that alcohols andfor cushioning as well as insulating material was its
carboxyl acids had properties that allow them toforte and its use became more prevalent.
be mixed and the result was creation of a newPolyester is in real terms is long-chain polymers
type of fiber. He later also discovered Nylon.which is composed of 85% ester and a dihydric
Later two British scientists Whinefield and Dicksonalcohol along with a terephthalic acid. It really
carried on the work of Carother and concludedmeans a chain is made that links esters within the
that Polyethylene terephthalate can form thefibers. When this reacts with alcohol and
essence of synthetic fibers like Dacron, Terylenecarboxylic acid the end result is the product. The
and polyester.product has some inherent qualities like strength
Polyester synthetic fiber is generally produced byand durability. In addition it is wrinkle free and
the process termed as polymerization. In thisresists abrasion very well. Polyester is also easily
alcohol and organic acid react with each otherwashed and dried and retains its original shape.
under controlled conditions and together form aIn the 70s Polyester clothes were very popular
new material. This is called Polyester.and people all over the world preferred it. Further
Polyester over the years has developed furtherdevelopments have taken place and PET bottle
and has come to be recognized as a product withand ropes in industries are made of this
amazing qualities. Firstly it is wrinkle free andmaterial.Their trademark is durability and strength.
secondly has the inherent quality to return to itsAs far as Polyester clothing is concerned you can
original shape even if creased or pressed. Inmachine wash it and generally needs no ironing. If
addition, polyesters have another quality that is arequired you can use a warm iron for pressing. All
plus point. They can be easily washed and dryin all it is a synthetic material and has all properties
even faster. Thus wash and wear apparel is onethat an artificial creation has vis a vis a natural
of its basic uses.product and that includes its availability in
In 1986 further developments took place andabundance.
Microfiber another variety of polyester was